Out of Time
by BurnedIce
Summary: The Kazanna has ripped open. Unsuspecting, Sango finds herself dragged into it- and immediately finds herself waking up in an forest clearing where she meets a boy with familiar violet eyes. Walking through memories to save the one you love can be, in fact, quite irritating. Especially when the man you're trying to save is Miroku.
1. Prologue

. x .

_"Never let your head hang down. Never give up and sit down and grieve. Find another way." _

_~Richard M. Nixon_

* * *

The day was peaceful. The spring weather was warm and sunny without a cloud in sight. There was a slight breeze that rustled the leaves of trees and the only unnatural sound that could be heard was that of a shokujo staff and quiet chattering amongst companions that were comfortable speking with each other.

Coming along the path ahead of the others was a small kitsune kit, and sticking close to him was a small nekomata. Not too far behind them a young boy walked with a kusarigama in his hand, keeping a close eye on them. He'd been put in charge of making sure the kitsune was safe, and for that he was grateful. He hated not having something to do.

Behind the younger trio came a couple, one dark haired and the other with hair the color of bright moonlight. A pair of dog ears twitched atop the boy's head, and he impatiently growled something to the raven-haired woman beside him. She smiled soothingly, reassuringly touching his arm and making him blush as he ripped back and snapped at her. She huffed and gave him a warning look before crossing her arms and refusing to acknowledge his demands.

Finally, following the hanyou and miko, came another couple, though this one was silent and content to enjoy said silence. The rings on the houshi's shokujo staff made a soft sound with every step, and the taijiya listened to the sound with a slight smile on her face, looking completely content for the first time since the destruction of her village.

"It's a wonderful day today. What do you think, Sango?"

Sango jumped in surprise at the sudden sound of his voice. "It's a beautiful day," she agreed, casting him a smile that soon vanished when the sound of Kagome's yelling filled the air. "I hope Kagome-chan is alright, though. I think Inuyasha's onto her, she has a few bruises and bumps she refuses to tell him about."

The hanyou plummetted to the ground.

"I do wish she would be kind to Inuyasha," Miroku admitted, "He is merely worried about her health."

"I know," Sango sighed, nodding. They watched in companionable silence as Inuyasha shot to his feet, barked a furious insult into Kagome's face, then bound off to see what was up ahead. "Give him a few seconds, he'll be back." He chuckled and she ended up joining in quietly. Trust those two to end up with such troubles.

"You must be happy," Miroku said, offering an arm to her. She accepted, and he patted her hand with a playful smile as his staff was shifted to the crook of his arm. "Your brother has been returned, after all."

"I am," Sango admitted. She tilted her head to look up at the sky. "All that remains now is to destroy Naraku, avenge my friends and family, and get rid of your Kazanna." She touched the beads and gauntlet that sealed the deadly vortex away, then frowned. Was that a slight tug she felt...?

Cursing under his breath, Miroku moved her hand away with the one that wasn't the holder of a deadly weapon. Sango's jaw dropped. It was! "Houshi-sama-"

He slapped a hand over her mouth, hissing, "Don't! I don't want to trouble anyone else's mind."

She pried his hand away from her lips, glaring at him now. "Houshi-sama!" she breathed, "The Kazanna...it's...why didn't you tell us?" Her eyes gazed sorrowfully at him and Miroku's own flickered with guilt.

"You were happy," he admitted, "I did not want to interrupt that happiness and trouble your mind with the issue." She demanded to know how long it had been going on and he murmured, "Several days before Kohaku's ordeal."

"Houshi-sama!" she shrieked, and he shushed her when Kagome glanced back at them with a frown on her face before shrugging and continuing onward, no doubt believing that he had groped her again. Lowering her voice, Sango pleaded, "Tell the others so we can go after Naraku! Even Inuyasha will look harder than he already is. _Please_, Houshi-sama." She gently grasped his covered hand, ignoring his protest as she pressed it to her cheek in a surprising show of affection.

His eyes softened and he smoothed a thumb across her cheek as he murmured, "Sango, we are already searching hard for Naraku, and we are unable to defeat him at the moment-"

"You promised me," Sango reminded, "After Naraku's death. We would be married. You _promised_. Don't give up on that now. We're so close..."

He examined her gaze, then sighed softly, leaning in to suddenly press a kiss to her forehead. Sango let him, then pulled back to smile faintly at him. "I will tell Inuyasha and Kagome-sama as soon as Inuyasha returns," he swore. "I do believe it to be best that we leave Shippo out of it, however."

"We can do that," Sango agreed eagerly, relieved. He offered her his arm again and she took it once more, this time anxiously leaning into his side as Inuyasha suddenly returned. He spoke urgently to Kagome about something or another, ears flattened, and Miroku and Sango started forward at once to speak with them.

Hiding her fear from Miroku, Sango shoved a smile onto her face forcefully.

Time was running out.

And she decided then and there where she'd be if it did.

* * *

**A/N**

**Surprise...**_**another**_** fanfiction. XD This one will be short. I estimate about...maybe five to ten chapters at the most? I hope you enjoyed. XD Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 1

. x .

_"Never go backward. Attempt, and do it with all your might. Determination is power."_

_~Charles Simmons_

* * *

A lazy smile encompassed her face as she stared up at the beautiful trees overhead. The sun filtered in, dappling the lush green grass he dozed in, and she paused to stroke the grass with a small hum escaping her face as she became drowsy. _Sleep,_ a voice in her head told her, soothing and gentle, coaxing her to do as asked. _Sleep and it'll all fade away..._

"Wake up!"

The sharp, snapped command made her jolt upwards. Everything came back to her in an instant. She'd been walking beside Miroku, just as she always did, when he'd suddenly cried out in pain, dropping to a knee. Within moments, Inuyasha had rushed Kagome, Kohaku, and Shippo, who'd dragged Kirara with him, away and to safety, snarling under his breath with a furious bark. Sango had been unable to do anything as she was wrenched from the ground, Miroku giving a horrified cry as she was sucked into the unending void...

"Houshi-sama," Sango breathed. "Miroku!" Where was he?!

"Hush," the commanding voice from before soothed. A hand rested against her head suddenly and Sango looked up. A kind looking woman stood there. She stood tall and proud, her midnight colored hair styled in the elegant way of a lady, kept there by a fancy kanzashi that held a bright emerald orb. She was dressed in a long, expensive kimono made of black and silver silk, and her gentle violet eyes shone with grief. "You are safe. Just don't fall asleep, or you will become nothing more than one of the memories you will soon enter."

Sango furrowed her brow, confused as she realized she had nothing but her travel kimono and warp on. No weapons or anything else. Not even the hidden blade usually on her arm. "What do you mean? Where am I?"

"You," the woman said simply, "were sucked into the Kazanna. Time has frozen for my son, however, and there is still hope that he can be saved."

Sango's brown eyes widened as the kind woman helped her to her feet. "Miroku," she breathed, "We didn't...he's..."

"Not yet," she replied firmly. "As I said, there is still hope. Sango, it is much to ask of anyone, but without succession he will lose you and you will lose him. It is possible to save Miroku from his fate; but only if you listen to these instructions: wherever you are, whatever is happening, you must not let him open his Kazanna! If you can stop him from using it, there is a chance that he will live long enough to destroy Naraku. But there is a chance you will never see him as you knew him again. Are you willing to take that chance, Sango?"

Sango stared at the woman before her. This strange woman was giving her a calm and collected stare, emotionless now. Distantly, she thought back. Would Miroku do the same for her? Whatever...this was? The answer was an instant whispered "yes" in her mind. He'd do anything if it meant she might live. A gentle smile crossed the taijiya's face. "Of course," she whispered, then said in a louder, far more confident voice. "Yes. I'm willing to take that chance if it means Houshi-sama will live."

"Good." The woman reached out and let her fingers, soft and feathery to the touch, skim the other woman's cheek. "Remember, Sango, don't sleep. No matter how tempting it becomes to sink into that warmth, don't sleep."

The world vanished around her and Sango saw, heard, and felt absolutely nothing.

* * *

Sango opened her eyes to see a forest above her once more, though this one was different. This one was darker than the previous one she'd awoken in. When she looked down at herself, she found herself in her normal traveling kimono and wrap, though both were shredded fairly well. She flushed, automatically sitting up and covering herself as she looked around.

"Where am I?" she wondered aloud, unable to remember how she'd gotten from beside Miroku to here- excluding that the Kazanna had torn open. Sango received no answer and sighed, pushing herself to her feet. That was her main goal, she decided. Get herself out of possibly youkai infested trees and into a safe location before determinging where exactly she was and if she'd be able to find at least Shippo to help her.

She paused. No, she scolded herself. Not even that jerk Inuyasha was with her. She was completely alone, devoured by the Kazanna when it had split open. _At least Kagome-chan and Kirara are safe,_ she thought as she turned in a slow circle to see if she could find a way out. She could have sworn she'd had another goal, but that memory was long gone.

"Oto-san! Oto-san! Look, there's a woman here!"

Sango whipped around, eyes wide when she found a dangerously sharp shokujo staff pointed at her face. Instinct kicked in and the taijiya leaped back in an instant, cursing quietly under her breath and then grimacing. Inuyasha's habits had worn off on even her. The staff was familiar, though the man holding it wasn't. "Tell me," the man demanded, "Are you a youkai?"

"Youkai?" Sango looked startled. "No, I'm not a youkai. I'm a human, a taijiya in fact. Nowhere close to youkai. I kill youkai for a living though I'm not exactly sure where my Hiraikotsu went..." She trailed off, catching sight of the boy hiding behind the man.

He was young, perhaps six years of age, but she'd know those violet eyes anywhere. It was a small Miroku, dressed in a simple yukata while his father wore clothes similar to the ones she was used to see the houshi in. The earrings she was so familiar with were already in place, and she felt a moment of longing for her group of friends, specifically Miroku. She smiled gently at him.

"A woman taijiya?" The older one muttered, narrowing his eyes. "There is no such thing."

Sango raised her chin, crossing her arms. "First and the most powerful of the taijiya," she retorted. _And eventually the last..._ Now that she thought about it, her village was still around. Her father...even her mother. Kohaku hadn't been born just yet. The thought had her considering the possibility of going to see them, to warn them of what was to come, but the thought of doing so gave her a bad feeling. So she returned her thoughts to the situation before her.

"I see," the houshi muttered, lowering his staff. She saw the wrap that sealed away the Kazanna, just like she'd seen on the Miroku she knew and loved. She felt a moment of sympathy. "Why are you out in the forest without your weapon, taijiya? There are youkai everywhere. You could have been eaten."

She said in response, "I don't know. I woke up here. The last thing I remember is...I was heading home," she lied. The last thing she truly remembered was the sucking of the Kazanna and blackness... "I think I was attacked and then everything's dark."

"I think she's being truthful, Oto-san," Miroku said truthfully, looking up at his father's thoughtful face. Sango wanted to coo at how adorable a child Miroku was. This was definitely coming up in a conversation with Kagome when she got back...

"Follow us," the man decided, relaxing. "I am called Shinri. This is my son, Miroku."

Sango gave Shinri a charming smile. "Sango," she said in introduction of herself. She turned a sweet smile on Miroku, who blinked innocently up at her. "Hello, Miroku-kun," she said, biting back the calling of "Houshi-sama". He was too young for the title, it would raise suspicion. "Thank you, Shinri-san," she added respectfully, bowing her head to him. "I am grateful for your assistance. I am unfamiliar to these woods."

Shinri chuckled. "Of course, Sango-chan." He gently pushed his son a little bit away before starting forward, leaving Miroku and Sango to follow him. Miroku gazed nervously at Sango, who shrugged and began trekking after the houshi. "Miroku!" Shinri said sharply, though there was no anger within his words, "Keep up, boy! There are youkai in these woods and I have not yet taught you how to defend yourself!"

Miroku scampered after his father, falling into step beside Sango. With the curiosity of a child, he looked up at her. "...you look like a lady, Sango-sama," he told her, startling the young woman. She looked down at him and he smiled broadly, showing himself to be missing a few teeth. Sango fought the urge to giggle at the sight. "A very pretty lady."

_A hentai, just like his Oto-san,_ Sango thought, not missing the way Shinri glanced back every now and then at her. "Thank you, Miroku-kun," she told him in response with a gentle smile, longing for the version of Miroku she knew and loved. As much as she loved their friends, he was the one whose company she craved most. "That's a very kind thing for you to say."

Miroku beamed.

As they walked, Sango chattering with Miroku to keep him occupied and not running off and getting himself killed early, she noticed something. Something horrifyingly familiar. Shinri kept clenching a wrapped fist, wincing every now and then, and even from the distance she was at, Sango could hear the Kazanna, just waiting to tear away at them.

She shuddered and Miroku tilted his head curiously. "Are you alright, Sango-sama?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. She gave a silent nod, not trusting her voice.

She understood now, what she was doing in this particular situation. She simply needed to show Miroku that it was alright to be afraid, to lose the one he most likely loved the most. To tell him that though he was scared of the Kazanna that would soon form upon his own palm, that he would eventually find friends who would be willing to help him get rid of it and the monster who'd caused it.

Sango nodded to herself and Miroku frowned his confusion at the determined look on her face.

She could do that.

* * *

"You know about the Kazanna."

The statement stopped Sango dead in her tracks, and she looked up at the tired looking Shinri. Miroku had long since gone to sleep, his small form curled up against his father. She hesitated, then gave a curt nod. Shinri gave a dry smile. "You kept looking at it. May I ask how you know of the Kazanna?"

Sango studied the man. Was it alright to tell him...? Something told her this would be the only chance she got. They were staying in Munshin's temple, where Shinri's grave would soon rest. And a look of ragged acceptance had appeared on his face; they both knew this would be his last night. So she admitted as she waved at Miroku, "Houshi-sama. I...I'm not precisely sure how I got here, but I met him only a year and a half or so ago for me. Years away for the boy beside you. You hunt Naraku, I presume?"

"Naraku," Shinri said, spitting the name out like it was poison- which, it seemed, anywhere it was had been poisoned. "That vile demon. He cursed my father after taking on the form of a beautiful hime."

Sango hummed in amusement. She remembered that story. "As I said, I'm a taijiya. The Shikon no Tama was created in my village. My friend, Kagome-chan, a miko, managed to accidentally shatter the Shikon no Tama and she, a hanyou named Inuyasha, a kitsune called Shippo, and Houshi-sama were searching for it when we met. My village had discovered a shard and we had been caring for it." Her gaze darkened slightly. "Naraku heard and destroyed it. I am the last of the taijiya from my village, along with my nekomata companion Kirara. I was tricked by Naraku into attacking them...but they forgave me."

Shinri snorted. "Unlikely companions you have there, Sango-chan."

"We're mis-matched," Sango said with a faint grin, "But they're my family now. We all rely on each other. Kagome-chan holds us all together. Without her, Inuyasha would fall apart and we'd lose him. She's like a sister to me. But that Houshi-sama...he and I grew close. I agreed to become his wife after Naraku's defeat a few moon cycles before his Kazanna tore open. I was sucked in and..." She waved at herself. "...here I am."

The houshi nodded slowly, as if contemplating her story. "How interesting. It sounds like my son will grow into a great man." He touched Miroku's head affectionately. "For the longest time, I tried not to get to close to him. He would surely hate me for the curse that will be passed onto him."

"Never," Sango said firmly, "Not once in the time I've known Houshi-sama has he ever claimed to even dislike you. Every time we have stopped at Munshin-san's, he's paid respects to your grave."

Shinri's eyes softened. "I am glad. I can pass knowing that he will be alright, then." He examined the gauntlet on his arm. "This blasted vortex...it will not be long before I am gone..." His gaze slid to her with a haunted yet pleading look.

"Munshin-san and I will make sure Houshi-sama stays back," Sango swore with a kind look on her face. "We would never let him get that close, Shinri-san."

"Thank you," he said simply. He turned away, laying down to sleep and Sango felt a moment of sympathy, once more, for the man. She glanced at the sleeping Miroku and loneliness snaked its way through her. Something told her sleep wouldn't be too good an idea, so she stayed awake, letting it consume her.

How desperately she missed the houshi, Kirara, and Kagome. She even missed Inuyasha at this point. She wished that at least Shippo was with her; even Shippo would be better than suffering through this alone.

When activity began again within the shrine as soon as dawn appeared, Sango steeled herself, wiping her fear away. She couldn't show it in front of strangers. Just as she'd always done, Sango murmured under her breath, "No reason to be afraid." The saying comforted her just in time for Miroku to yawn and blink sleepily.

"Mornin', Sango-sama," he greeted, shoving himself to his feet with a small tired look towards the floor. He hadn't gotten sufficient sleep on the hard surface. Sango grinned to herself. No wonder he always searched out expensive inns with only the nicest of the nice futons! "Did you sleep well? You are up very early..."

"I slept just fine, Miroku-kun," Sango told him. "Um, is there a place I can get some food around here? I'm starving." Her stomach growled to prove her point and for some reason, Miroku giggled.

"Of course, this way!" He scampered off and Sango was forced to follow after him at a jog. He guided her through the temple, and Sango ran her fingers along the familiar walls. It seemed like yesterday that they had cleaned this temple from top to bottom... They passed Munshin and Sango paused to bow her head respectfully to him as they did so. Soon, the smells of delicious smelling food filled her nose and Sango sighed in relief. At least it wouldn't be the usual meal of bland fish.

After gathering their meal, Miroku took her outside to sit and watch the sun rise completely. The food, a rather yummy porridge that was seasoned with something that Sango had never tasted, was eaten slowly, in a relaxed way. "Sango-sama," Miroku said suddenly, "Are you sad?"

"Why would I be sad?" she asked with a frown, glancing curiously at the boy. He frowned in response, turning to look at her.

"You look sad," he told her. "Really sad. Do you miss someone?"

He was as perceptive as he was as an adult. "A little bit. But I can't see them for a while."

"Why not?"

_Should have seen that one coming back to get me..._ "Because it's complicated," she said simply, sighing quietly and setting her bowl aside, no longer having an appetite. "I just can't see him for a while and it makes my heart hurt, but it's alright because while we're separated, I'm helping him."

Miroku beamed. "That's good. I'm sure your friend will be glad to see you when you guys find each other- Oto-san!" He suddenly called out for his father, waving eagerly as a tired and grim looking Shinri appeared, walking towards them. Sango's eyes narrowed; even from this distance, she could hear the Kazanna. "It's time," she guessed softly.

Shinri gave a tired nod. "It is. I don't even get to enjoy a final breakfast."

Miroku looked confused. "Oto-san...?" he asked pleadingly, "What's going on? Why can't you have breakfast? Are you feeling sick?"

Munshin had appeared now, too, and gently beckoned the boy closer. "Come here, Miroku, we need to stay right here..."

Shinri gave the old man a grateful look; they had already said their goodbyes to each other. "Take good care of my boy, Sango-chan," Shinri told her quietly, then turned to look at the bewildered Miroku. He touched Miroku's head and the boy leaned into his touch. "You be a good boy, Miroku. Grow up strong and defeat that demon known as Naraku, do you understand?"

"Yes, Oto-san, but why?"

Sango's heart ached at the utter confusion in the poor boy's voice. He didn't understand. He'd once told her that Munshin was the one who truly explained his Kazanna to him. So Shinri didn't tell Miroku once about the Kazanna...

Shinri didn't answer, instead ruffled Miroku's head a final time, passed his shakujo staff over to Munshin in exchange for a different one that jingled far more than the one he'd just handed off, and then tilted the hat he wore before heading away from the temple. Confused and growing fearful, his son cried out "Oto-san" another time.

He'd managed to get a decent distance between the shrine and himself before the beads around his wrist snapped. Swallowing drily, Sango closed her eyes. She didn't want to see this again. She'd already seen it happen once before; she didn't wish to see it again.

Miroku's howl of fear and want for his father filled the air and she bit her lip, sympathy flooding her as much as the sound of the raging Kazanna did. She knew exactly how the poor buy felt, she thought, listening silently to Shinri's pained screams. Her eyes snapped open, however, when Munshin shouted, "Miroku!" The boy had broken free of Munshin's grasp and stumbled forward desperately.

Sango lunged for him, catching his wrist and tugging her to him, dropping to her knees to pull him into a tight hug, even as he thrashed and sobbed, trying to get free. "It's okay," she murmured miserably into his ear when he began to return the hug, "Listen to me, it'll be okay."

"Oto-san," Miroku cried into her shoulder, "Oto-san..."

The roaring seemed to go on forever before it faded away, leaving a massive hole in the ground. Miroku didn't bother to try and escape anymore, instead remaining close to Sango. She smoothed the hair back from his face gently. What a wonderful way to start this day, she thought sarcastically. Miroku's eyes were rimmed with red, his violet eyes a darkened black. He shook with fear as he suddenly looked up at her. "O-Oto-san s-said... W-will that happen t-to me, S-Sango-sama?" he stammered, terrified.

Sango paused for a brief moment, then answered carefully, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. He sobbed and hugged her around the neck tightly. "No," she said firmly. "No, it won't, Miroku-kun." She rubbed his back, letting her eyes flutter shut. "Because you know what?" She pulled back suddenly to smile tearfully at him. "You will meet people and become close friends with them. And they will save you from that fate. And you," she tapped his nose, earning a sorrowful look rather than a smile, "will live to be a ripe old age."

She would make sure it happened, she thought darkly, exchanging a knowing look with Munshin. _You _will_ be alive to live with me, Miroku. I'll go to Hell and back to make sure of it. _

* * *

**A/N**

**And so everything truly begins! XD Thank you for the kind review, it made me happy! ^_^ **


	3. Chapter 2

_"We do not live to think, but, on the contrary, we think in order that we may succeed in surviving."_

_~Jose Ortega y Gasset_

* * *

And then, Sango was blinking her eyes open to another forest. This time, however, the wind howled around her, threatening to tear her to pieces. Or, at least, the branches racing by her head were going to. Sango winced, dazed when one nicked her cheek. She needed to move...but how had she gotten here? She had been soothing the child version of Miroku moments before...

A crack of lightning made her head whip upwards to look at the sky. Rain suddenly began to pour down and Sango gasped in surprise and a hint of pain when some got in her eyes. Rubbing slightly at them, she staggered to her feet. She had to get out of the rain, into some shelter where she could keep warm and figure out where she was and why. Well, why wasn't really the question...

The question was: where the hell was Miroku now?

A tree suddenly crashed down in front of her and Sango cried out in fear and shock, jerking back. She immediately crashed into something warm, stumbling back over it and knocking both it and herself to the ground. There was a grunt that didn't belong to her, and then stillness for a brief second as she struggled to orient herself.

"Get off!"

"Oh!" Sango gasped, startled to hear a voice over the rain. She moved and a boy sat up, gasping for air and wheezing for a few moments. She'd landed on him. "I'm sorry!" Sango apologized over the storm, shivering violently. The cold was getting to her.

Violet eyes glared at her for a moment and she blinked when she realized it was _Mirkou_ she'd landed on top of. A hysterical laugh bubbled out of her lips. There would be a time when rather than glaring, he'd make the most of such a situation like that. "What are you doing out here?"

Sango struggled to come up with an answer. He didn't recognize her, so that was good. But sadness flooded her when she saw the gauntlet that sealed of the Kazanna. A boy so young was forced to endure such a curse...it was saddening. Finally, the taijiya told him, "Looking for someone. I'm not sure where exactly he is though. I'm Sango. What's your name?"

"Miroku," he answered, though Sango knew that already. He eyed her warily. "Are you looking for Munshin?"

"That's his name," Sango cried overenthusiastically, clasping her hands together with a bright and fake smile. "Munshin-san. My mother sent me this way, saying he had some kind of special herb that will help with my brother's illness." _Oh, if only that were a possibility!_

"Probably does," Miroku agreed, relaxing. Sango took a moment to judge his age. He couldn't be any older than twelve years of age now...and completely unable to remember her. Why didn't he? You would have thought she would be remembered... "Come on, follow me, Sango-sama. I'll take you to Munshin."

"Thank you, Miroku-kun," Sango said with a faint smile aimed at the small boy. He ignored it in favor of waving for her to follow him, a soft grumbling mutter escaping him. Sango's smile vanished, replaced by a mournful look.

This round was going to be _miserable._

The walk towards Munshin's was one of complete silence, and Sango found herself longing for the world of sleep once more. Something continued to poke at the back of her mind, however, and she knew that she wasn't allowed to sleep unless she wanted to vanish from life forever. Or Miroku would be nice, her Miroku. The kind houshi that would go to Hell and back for her, much like she was doing for him at the moment.

A soft sigh escaped her once again. Soon, she told herself, soon she would be able to return to him. But first, she had to make it so that it wouldn't be his grave that she returned to. A brief moment of concern for her friends passed through her. Had they escaped the Kazanna as she had? No, they must have been with him as it continued to devour him, as they had leaped out of the way...

Tears were threatening to materialize as they finally broke out of the cover of the trees. The young, current Miroku before her took off at a jog when he saw the concerned form of Munshin waiting outside, searching the trees for him. "Munshin! I found some lady in the forest!"

Sango was nearly offended until she remembered that most children at this age were like this. Fairly...irritating. A slight smile lit her face at the thought. She had been that way, too, insisting that she learn how to use a weapon until her father had given in despite the reluctance of he and the rest of the village to train a female taijiya.

Munshin's gaze drifted from the smirking boy to Sango, then narrowed suspiciously. "I see, Miroku. Go inside, prepare a room for the young woman while I discover what she wishes for." He waited until Miroku had obeyed, then turned his attention onto Sango, who'd drifted closer with a wary look on her face. "Sango-chan. The last time you were seen was the day his father perished."

"I'm not a youkai, if that's what you're saying," Sango retorted, then sighed. "As I told his father, I'm someone very important to him in the future. At least I hope. A...seer, if it makes you feel better. I'm trying to make sure that Kazanna doesn't tear before he can defeat the one who gave the curse to his grandfather."

Munshin nodded slowly. "I will accept that. But he does not remember you as part of the last time."

"I know, I realized it when we were speaking in the woods," Sango murmured, "Perhaps he is one of the few children who is able to lock away something they don't want to remember. Or maybe it is merely because of what I am attempting to accomplish. But either way, it is probably for the best."

Munshin nodded his agreement, then turned to face Miroku when he darted back out. "The room is prepared, Munshin!"

"Well done, Miroku," Munshin praised, then waved towards Sango. "Sango-chan will accompany you to supper. We are having a stew made of rabbit." He glanced to the taijiya. "Will that suffice for you?"

"Of course," Sango answered. She smiled as Miroku stuck his tongue out with a look of disgust. Even here, at this age, he was not so fond of the rabbit he would be forced to eat constantly when traveling with her. "Thank you, Munshin-san, Miroku-kun, for your kindness. Not many would be so welcoming. In the morning, perhaps, we will be able to discuss what I came here for?"

Munshin was not oblivious to the lie. "Of course, Sango-chan."

"Thanks," she replied, smiling brightly before gazing warmly at the young Miroku. "Shall we be off, Miroku-kun?" He rolled his eyes but gave a small nod, waving for her to follow him through the building.

* * *

_Exactly like the last time,_ Sango thought as she stared into the central fire of the room she was occupying. Each room at this temple had a small place for a fire, and the one in hers was ablaze. The night was chilly, and she'd quickly realized that despite the fact that lack of sleep bugged her but wouldn't kill her, the cold could still bother her.

A sigh escaped her. Miroku at this age was quite the little brat. When she'd lightly scolded him for making a mess while eating, noting Munshin's frown, Miroku had practically told her off. _"You don't live here, and you have no business telling me what to do, lady!"_

Oh, she couldn't wait to get back and tease Miroku about this.

Another sigh left her lips, and she pinched the bridge of her nose. She wanted to go home desperately.

Suddenly, a sound filled her ears. The sound of scrabbling, the sound of hissing. Wary, Sango fell silent, tilting her head to quietly listen. Even as a normal human, her taijiya training allowed her to sense the youki that radiated from around the temple now. Quietly, she stood and rushed from the room she'd been staying in, intent on finding at least something that could be used as a weapon.

She ran into Munshin on her way to do so. A staff, the one that Miroku would eventually carry around, was in one of his hands. "Ah, you sensed it," he murmured. "Somehow, this does not surprise me."

"What is it?" she breathed back. "What's attacking?"

"A youkai that I have been watching for many months," he replied, "It believes it can absorb the Kazanna and use it."

Sango couldn't fight back a snort. "Does the youkai have a death wish?"

Munshin chuckled, then pushed the shokujo staff into her palm. "Take this, it will do you well to serve as a means to defend yourself. Be ready to fight," he told her. "I must find Miroku and make sure the boy will be safe while we deal with the youkai."

Sango bit her lip. She was here to stop Miroku from using the Kazanna. Then this must be one of the first times he used it as a weapon...

The wall was suddenly destroyed, sending her flying backwards at the force. Sango let herself roll, then sprang to her feet, ready to wield the staff. What met her eyes made her face pale. She'd seen one of these massive spider youkai. Of course she had. If it hadn't been for this youkai, she wouldn't have lost her father. Fury filled her and she launched into an attack, wary. She didn't have her armor as she once had. And she had no other taijiya to assist her this time.

The spider screamed its fury, whirling on her in a mess of legs, and she winced when one leg's sharp claw nicked her cheek. It was fast, faster than she had thought possible. Ignoring the sting, she struck out, satisfied when two legs fell to the ground with a thud thought its blood doused her. Grimacing at the sticky liquid, Sango danced aside when it struck out.

"Sango-chan!" Munshin was back, this time with a katana. She leaped to his side with ease, relieved to not have lost her abilities. She snatched the katana from his hands, shoving the staff towards him in return. "This isn't something I'm very good at fighting with," she said with a faint smile as Miroku appeared, ducking behind Munshin with a frightened look.

Munshin gave a soft chuckle and then pushed Miroku back when the spider began its attack once more. Sango gasped when a leg slammed into her chest, knocking the breath out of her, but she ignored the desperate need for air in exchange for slicing the katana through the leg that had struck her. Relieved when it came off, leaving the spider with five legs to go, she paused. Something had suddenly begun to appear in her right hand...

When it had fully materialized, she grinned. The heavy familiar weight of Hiraikotsu had confidence surging through her even more, and Sango flung the boomerang at the youkai without a moment's hesitation. There was a reason she, the taijiya, had been asked to save the houshi. And she was determined to do her job well, even if she didn't survive.

Within seconds, the spider youkai was dead, slumping to the ground when the Hiraikotsu sliced it in half. Its dead flesh twitched every now and then, and Sango smirked as she caught her beloved weapon. "Ha," she murmured.

"Well done," Munshin praised, looking relieved that he hadn't had to fight. Miroku was staring at the dead youkai with bugged out eyes, shocked. Sango chuckled at the look on the boy's face, then lovingly caressed the boomerang, happy tears watering in her eyes. "Where did this weapon come from?"

"It's mine," she replied. "My Hiraikotsu. I'm uncertain as to how it's here, but I am glad it is, truthfully," she told him. She glanced quietly at the trembling child. "It kept him from being forced to use the Kazanna, Munshin." Suddenly, even as she spoke, Sango knew her time with this Miroku was drawing to a close. She'd done as she was supposed to. "May I?" she asked softly, waving towards Miroku. When he nodded, she knelt in front of the terrified boy. Waiting until he'd finally looked at her, she gently ruffled his hair. "Listen to me, Miroku-kun. Don't use this," she tapped the hand with the Kazanna, fingers tracing the beads along the gauntlet, "unless your life is in danger. Alright? I don't think I will be able to help you keep from doing so very often. Try your hardest to use other means first, alright?"

"Y-yeah," he stammered, blinking nervously at her.

"Good," Sango murmured. She hesitated, then dropped a kiss to his brow. Confused, Miroku let his eyes flutter shut. Sango smiled and did the same.

And then, there was a moment of nothing before she woke up, this time beside a lake.

* * *

**A/N**

**The Hiraikotsu! Yay! XD I hope you enjoyed, and I thank you very kindly for the many reviews. :3 I do apologize for the MUCH shorter chapter. The next will be longer.**


	4. Chapter 3

. X .

_"I feel quite fearless protecting the people I love."_

_~Paloma Faith_

* * *

Sango sat up quickly, already preparing herself for her third round of defending the houshi. But she wasn't in a forest this time, she realized, studying the beautiful lake. It shone calm and clear under a brightly shining sun. A village was busily at work not too far away, and Sango squinted when she recognized a pair of figures on the sandy shores of the lake. Slowly, she climbed to her feet, brushing herself off. Then, she nearly cried in relief. Her Hiraikotsu was still there.

And this time, beneath her travel clothes, was the armor of the taijiya. Grinning to herself, Sango proudly ran her fingers through her brown bangs and began the long trek down to the lake. She'd pass the pair on the beach, perhaps ask where she was and if they'd heard of either Munshin or Miroku, then go hunt either of them down so that she could find the other. Because that's precisely what she wanted to hurry and do. The sooner she did it, the sooner she could protect the houshi.

As she slowly made her way towards the lake, Sango became aware of an ache in her body. She was tired, she realized with a slight nervous twinge. She had to stay awake; she couldn't sleep and let her body rest. No, she had to stay awake or she'd fail her mission.

She was mere feet away from the couple when she recognized one of them. _Naturally_ this is how she'd find the bastard.

He was about a year or so older than Kohaku was...or had been before things had gone wrong for the taijiya. Maybe two. But he was smiling innocently at a girl of around the same age and dressed in a simple yukata of the color black. And it was for that very reason that Sango had no issue with butting in between them, sending the young girl that glared at her a look that just screamed "scram". She smirked. She'd learned that look from Kagome and Inuyasha.

Miroku scowled up at her. "Hey! Who do you think you are? You can't just butt in, and-"

Sango smiled sweetly. "Oh, I think I can, little guy. I'm a taijiya, and I was sent here to slay a demon. Would you mind telling me if you've heard of it or even seen it?"

His eyebrow rose. "You're a _taijiya_? There are no women taijiya, I'm not stupid."

Irritated, Sango planted her hands on her hips after waving at the weapon she'd strapped to her back. "Well, now there are and you're looking at her, kid." Oh, he was so getting yelled at for this when she saw him properly again... "Demon? Sightings?"

He scoffed. "There's more than one." He smirked, patting his hand. "I came to get rid of 'em though, so you're not needed, taijiya. You can leave."

"Okay," Sango gritted out. She stared the boy straight in the eye, feeling confident after dealing with the younger versions of him. "Listen here, M- kid." She switched titles hastily. He didn't know she knew his name. "You're going to die pretty quickly if you use that Kazanna you have. So why don't you leave the slaying of youkai to me and you can go play with your little girlfriend?"

"...you almost said my name," he accused, suspicious. His hand went to the beads wrapped around his wrist and Sango wanted to smack herself for her stupidity. "How do you know my name?"

"I heard the little girl say it," Sango said quickly, coming up with a lie on the spot.

Much to her surprise, he believed it. "Huh. How do you know I have a Kazanna, taijiya?"

"Sango, my name's Sango," Sango told him, then replied, "because my friend has a Kazanna like yours and he was sucked into it not too long ago." Not quite the truth but close enough. Grief struck her and she cursed herself. No, she hadn't lost him yet. He was still alive, just paused in time.

Miroku went still. "You...you knew someone with a Kazanna, too?"

Sango smiled softly. "Yes. And I know just how to keep what happened to him from happening to you, Miroku-kun. Listen, do you have an adult here with you?"

Miroku shook his head. "Munshin finally let me out by myself." He rolled his eyes. "About time. I thought he'd make me stay and hang out with him all the time. He always talks about how pretty the girls are out in the real world and then won't let me go see for myself."

Why did his words not surprise her?

Amused, Sango waved towards the village. "Well, why don't you help me find this youkai and accompany me around until it's good and dead, and then you and I can go our separate ways, Miroku-kun? But whatever you do, don't use your Kazanna? You don't want to end up like my friend, do you?"

He shook his head hurriedly. "No," he said firmly. "And I don't want to end up like Oto-san."

"You won't end up like your father," Sango reassured, shuddering as she thought back to that day. That day hadn't ended well at all for the poor child. Adjusting the strap that Hiraikotsu hung from, she started the walk to the village with Miroku sticking close to her. Thanking whatever kami was out there that this brat wasn't nearly as rude as the previous Miroku's she'd helped, she found herself willing to share a story when Miroku asked, "Sango-san? What kind of person was your friend?"

Sango's eyes softened. "He's a good man, my friend. We were actually going to marry after the defeat of our worst enemy, but he didn't make it." She hated using the past tense in this situation. There was still a chance that he would live. There was no way he was dead. Yet she had to use it to get the child to listen to her... "We were close, too. He and our other friends were so close to defeating that bastard..."

"What about your other friends?" Miroku said curiously.

Sango threw her head back and gave a small laugh. "My other friends? You're going to love this. The first one of them is a nekomata youkai that I've known my entire life. She goes by the name of Kirara, and she helps me on my of my jobs. Then there's Shippo-kun, who's a young orphaned kitsune kit. He's a bit of a nuisance, but we love him anyway. Inuyasha's an inu hanyou," she paused, laughing a bit at the disgusted look on Miroku's face. "He's a jerk, but he's a good man. He won't admit it, and neither will she, but he's in love with my other friend, Kagome. Kagome-chan's a miko, and a really powerful one at that."

"You have odd friends, Sango-san," Miroku commented, making a face at the thought of the inu hanyou again. "Why do you stay with them?"

"Because they're loyal and helped me out when nobody else would," Sango said softly, then smiled broadly. "My brother Kohaku recently joined us, too. It's fun. Or it was, until..." She shook her head, biting back a lump that was forming in her throat. She needed to focus on the youkai! "Oh, look," she said, cutting off another question. "The village."

Indeed, the odd pair had reached the village, and it didn't take long for the occupants to take notice of her boomerang. Within moments of entering, the headman was rushing over, a hopeful look on his face. "You are a taijiya? I mean, we didn't send for one, we have not the money to afford one..."

"Yes," Sango told him. "I'm a taijiya, and that's quite alright. I'll do it free of charge. Just tell me when and where the youkai will be and it'll be taken care of." She spoke with serious brown eyes, confident now. _This_ was the youkai that was putting Miroku's life further at risk.

"It's a rather nasty inoshishi youkai," the headman told her. Sango grimaced. She hated the disgustingly large boar youkai that reeked of the dead and rot. "It comes in as the sun sets and destroys at least one of our homes at a time..."

"Come sunset, it will be taken care of," Sango swore, then waved at Miroku. "In the meantime, would you be willing to feed us? We're kind of hungry."

"Of course!" the headman gasped, ushering them towards the largest hut in the village in an instant. Miroku's eyes had gone round and Sango chuckled at him. He wouldn't have to eat wasted food this night. Content to wait for sunset, Sango fell into step beside him, humming a lullaby under her breath as she did so.

"How are you going to kill the youkai?" Miroku questioned as they were served food, his eyes still round with surprise.

Picking up a pair of chopsticks, Sango set to work on devouring her meal. Traveling as strangely as she did left her with quite a large hunger, she thought with amusement. "With my Hiraikotsu," Sango told him, nodding towards the large weapon. "_You_, little one, are going to stay back. Is that clear?"

"I'm not little," Miroku argued irritably, "I'm thirteen years old, thank you very much. And I want to help."

"How do you plan on helping without using your Kazanna? No, stay here. I'll be fine," Sango retorted. Miroku scowled at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Trust me, kid. You don't want to be covered from head to toe with the blood of a inoshishi youkai. It's _not_ fun."

"Then why are you doing it?" he challenged, violet eyes flashing with annoyance.

"Because it's my job," Sango told him. Or it had been her job, up until she'd joined her friends on their journey and her main priority had become to slay Naraku, avenge her and Kohaku's people, and then finally settle down with the man she'd grown to love.

Miroku stuffed another bite of food in his mouth. "Huh!"

Sango smiled slightly at the attitude the boy now gave, reminding her more of Inuyasha than anyone else at the moment. It was the hanyou that gave such reactions when Kagome told him to set back and let the humans take care of the youkai that was causing problems.

Sango patted Hiraikotsu affectionately as she finally finished her meal. She pushed what remained away, then patted herself down, searching for the cloth she used to clean and polish the weapon to perfection along with the tools for sharpening the edges. She beamed when she found them, returned alongside her armor. Miroku watched with curiosity as she began to rub the massive boomerang down with a cloth, scrubbing dried blood and dust away. _So old blood comes with me then...do injuries? I'll need to be careful..._

* * *

They remained this way for quite some time before screams suddenly filled the air. Sango's head ripped up and she shot to her feet, Miroku scrambling to his feet beside her. "Stay here," she ordered harshly, removing her travel clothes, relieved that her armor had appeared underneath them. Miroku looked stunned, his eyes widening incredibly wide when he realized what she was wearing.

She wanted to cry. He was such a hentai, even at such a young age. Munshin had definitely put perverseness into the child's heart.

She gave him a look. "Miroku," she said sharply, waiting until he met her gaze. "You stay in here. Do you hear me? Unless the place is on fire and you're at risk of dying, you stay in here. Make sure you don't have to use that Kazanna, or you'll end up like my friend, got it?"

"Yes, Sango-san," Miroku said nervously. "You'll come back, right?"

"Of course," Sango replied confidently, smirking as she carefully pulled her hair up. With a final smile, she scooped up Hiraikotsu and started for the door. With a final glance to make sure Miroku wasn't going anywhere, she gave him a look and then stepped outside. Even without Inuyasha's sense of smell, she could smell blood. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, longing for the company of her companions as she slowly began to walk towards the shadow of the inoshishi youkai.

Sango took a moment to wash any thoughts and grief out of her mind, letting her face settle into a stony look, then smirked and hoisted up her boomerang. With the strength only a taijiya could have, she reeled back, then threw it, watching as it slammed into the leg of the beast with a sharp crack. While it didn't manage to slice through as she'd hoped, the boar went down with an agonized scream. Its leg had shattered.

"Okay," Sango murmured aloud. So the youkai would be a bit more difficult to slay than she'd originally believed. She caught her weapon, reaching for the katana that had materialized at her hip. Hope surged through her. With each battle, it appeared, and perhaps each memory she surpassed, she was regaining most of her belongings. If she could regain her poisons, there would be so much more she could do in saving Miroku!

She unsheathed the katana, as she leaped forward, thrownig Hiraikotsu again as the youkai screamed and attempted to get up. "Don't think so," she muttered, darting forward and lashing out with the katana. The blade caught the inoshishi across the throat and the boar screamed as it went down. Sango grimaced when she was doused in a splash of blood.

"There," she said smugly, proudly pulling back and pushing some damp and sticky hair out of her face. She'd once again won, defended Miroku-

Another scream filled her ears and Sango whipped around with wide eyes. Another inoshishi youkai stood over a pair of children, baring sharp tusks at them, and she lunged forward, already swinging both of her weapons. Not too far away, there was yet another, tearing into a house with fervor. "A herd," Sango whispered as she used her Hiraikotsu to block a tusk, "Someone pissed off a herd of them. Just what I needed. How lovely."

"Sango-san!"

"Miroku-kun," Sango said sharply, furious as the small boy came running into view, soot dusting his face. His violet eyes were serious for one at his age, his cursed hand clenching and unclenching with every second. "I thought I told you to stay inside!"

"That was before the hut went up in flames," Miroku retorted with a huff. His eyes widened when he saw the other inoshishi youkai. "There's more?"

"Sadly," she muttered, then pushed the children she'd saved towards the boy. "Miroku-kun, get these two to safety and protect them." She closed her eyes, hating herself for what she was about to say. "E-even if you must use your Kazanna, okay? Just only use it if you're about to be killed and I can't get there in time. Understood?"

He nodded, his eyes serious. "I won't use it unless I have to, Sango-san." He turned to the two young and fearful children. "Come on, you two, let's get you out of here."

Sango's lips twitched into a smile. Even at this age he was protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. Feeling proud, Sango darted away to fight off a boar that had suddenly turned and charged her. She threw Hiraikotsu and hopped up, landing lightly on the youkai's tusk. It snarled, and she hurried to jump up again when it shifted swiftly, swinging her bloody katana at its eye. She nailed the creature there, and ripped her short sword free as the inoshishi went down with a grunt. She held her hand up, waiting until she caught the Hiraikotsu before whirling around. "One more," she whispered under her breath, "Just one more-"

She couldn't find it, and her blood ran cold when a child's scream filled the air. She knew exactly where it had gone. It had followed Miroku and the other two children. Of course it had! Terrified, Sango scrambled to follow them, her brown eyes filled with concern.

Even as she ran, she knew she couldn't save him from this time completely. Her blood ran cold. She had failed him. He would die because she hadn't been paying attention like she should have.

But as she ran, a vision flashed through her mind. A vision of the boy she'd sent off with the children running this way and that, carelessly opening his Kazanna as he rid the village of each and every inoshishi youkai, and Sango realized. She _was_ saving him. Just not as thoroughly as she wanted to. He would still have to suck in a few, but she could kill the majority of them.

There was a sudden roar and Sango's face went white at the familiar sound, then even more so when she found her feet lifted off the ground. Mere yards in front of her, Miroku had opened the Kazanna, swallowing the inoshishi with a fierce look in his eyes. But she was being sucked towards it, too, she thought fearfully, a scream bubbling up in her throat. _No! Not again!_

But the danger vanished when Miroku rushed to wrap the beads around his wrist, clumsier than she was used to, but closed it nonetheless. She dropped to the ground again, and she stumbled for a few moments before picking back up into a jog, hurrying over. Miroku looked up at her with tears shining in his eyes. "Sorry, Sango-san," he said softly, "I had to, like you said!"

"It's alright," she soothed, smiling gently as she tussled his hair. "I wouldn't have gotten here in time. One time won't kill you." _No, the first time would have. _She remembered the dozens of youkai he'd sucked in and shuddered. Turning away, she said, glancing back towards the village and searching firmly for the white spotted backs of the youkai, "It looks like we got them all, Miroku-kun. Why don't we head back?" She offered her hand to one of the children, but they recoiled, looking terrified of her.

Oh, that's right. She was covered from head to toe in inoshishi blood. Grimacing at her appearance, she nodded at Miroku. "Why don't you bring those two with you, hm? I need to speak with the headman. I'm going to have him give you anything he wants to hand over as payment." She knew people. They would scramble for as many things as they could to gift her.

Miroku's violet eyes widened as he grabbed the children's hands. "Really?" he breathed. "You'll give it all to me?" His voice trembled as he spoke and she laughed softly in amusement as she gave a nod. "Thank you, Sango-san." The sassy boy from earlier was gone, replaced by a gentle and polite one that was more similar to the man Sango knew.

Humming quietly, Sango turned and led the three children that followed back towards the village, her eyes narrowed with thought. After she spoke with the headman, she knew, she would be shoved out of this time and into a new one.

How frustrating this never ending...game was.

* * *

"Thank you," the headman said for the umpteenth time after Sango came out of the hut, clean compared to how she'd been mere minutes before. His eyes glistened with unshed tears. "Thank you so very much, ma'am. Please, let us repay you."

Sango hid a smile. There was the payment she knew would be coming. A horse was led over, tied to a cart full to the brim of no doubt the finest the village could offer. Miroku, who had darted over to stand beside her, grinned as she told the headman, "Thank you, but I have no need for it. If you want, however, you can gift it all to this little guy." She tussled Miroku's hair despite his huff of protest. "He did just as much as I did; he saved the lives of two of the children here."

The headman gave Miroku an easy grin. "Of course," he said, waving for the man who led the horse to bring the spoils closer. Miroku eagerly took the reins of the nickering beast with a bright smile and a quiet thank you to the headman.

"Let us feast on the flesh of the monsters that fought to destroy us!" the headman said a moment later, throwing his head back and giving a joyous laugh at the look of astonishment on Miroku's face. "Have no fears, little one, the flesh of an inoshishi youkai is edible. I swear it."

When Miroku turned to Sango for confirmation, the taijiya gave him a comforting smile, her gaze saddening, much to his confusion. Her time with this version of Miroku was ending and she had to admit: though she loved her Miroku, the Miroku she intended to save, she'd grown quite fond of this one as well. But there would be a time, she realized. A time when she would have her own version of this child running around her, but with her features in perfect combination with his. Smiling to herself, her sadness vanished. "I apologize," she told the headman softly, "I can't stay. I must leave now and return to the village of the taijiya."

Miroku frowned. "But Sango-san-"

Sango waved his words off, gently ruffling his hair with a smile. "Don't worry, Miroku-kun. You'll see me again soon, I promise. Why don't you stay and eat with the headman before going back to Munshin, hm? I bet that old man will love everything you're bringing back."

Miroku paused to thoughtfully rub the horse's muzzle, and it whickered. "Maybe he'll let me have my father's staff," he said with an eagerness that made the taijiya chuckle.

"Maybe," she agreed. She gave the boy a final affectionate pat to the cheek, then stopped to smile at the headman.

The headman bowed his head with a look of utter gratitude. "Thank you, taijiya. Relay my gratefulness to the others of your village, please, you have no idea what this means to me, my family, and the others that live here."

"Nonsense," she retorted, "I'm just glad I could help." That said, Sango gave a small laugh, turning and walking away.

As she did so, she let her eyes close, her eyelashes fluttering shut as she exited the village. A loneliness swept through her again. Why was it always here walking away from him? Always, she was turning away, making the difficult decision to not tell the boy a single thing of what was to come. Silently, she questioned whether or not she was doing what she needed to do to get back to her friends.

Even as she thought this, memories of sitting beside many fires at night filled her. When Inuyasha would be pouting up in a tree, his eyes full of irritated annoyance over the fact that _his_ wench was ignoring him in favor of teaching Shippo some new game or bribing the kitsune kit into silence. Then there was Kirara, curled up in a purring ball beside the taijiya as she stroked her furry head, giving Miroku a dirty look as the houshi rubbed his red cheek, a pout on his face.

Sango smiled. She was just one step closer, she told herself, hardening her determination. And this time, she stepped into the changing of memories with the ease of water gliding downstream, her eyes fluttering shut as she vanished into nothing.

* * *

**A/N**

**And here's your next chapter. As promised, quite a bit longer than the previous chapter. |D And on request of a reviewer, here is a glossary for all unfamiliar terms that may have shown up or I believe I have used (and really haven't |D).**

* * *

**Glossary**

**-kitsune:** a fox demon, what Shippo is

**-nekomata: **a twintailed cat demon , what Kirara is

**-kusarigama:** a chainscythe like the one Kohaku uses, Kohaku's weapon

**-hanyou:** a half-demon , what Inuyasha is

**-miko:** a woman with powerful spiritual abilities, what Kagome is

**-houshi:** a monk, what Miroku is

**-shakujo staff:** the type of staff that Miroku uses

**-taijiya:** demon slayer, what Sango and Miroku are

**-Kazanna:** Miroku's Wind Tunnel/Vortex, the curse cast upon his hand by Naraku

**-kanzashi: **a hair pin used by women

**-kimono:** a type of Japanese clothing, what many of the characters in Inuyasha wear

**-youkai:** a demon, such as Sesshomaru

**-inu:** dog

**-inoshishi:** boar

**-katana:** a short sword, the sword Sango uses and what Tetsusaiga's "bad" look is


	5. Chapter 4

_"To give anything less than your best, is to sacrifice the gift."_

_~Steve Prefontaine_

* * *

Something splashed onto her head as she opened her eyes, and she frowned in confusion for a brief moment as another drop splashed onto her nose. When one hit her eye, she cursed, sitting up and scrubbing at the hurting eye. Thunder cracked and lightning snapped into appearance above her. Sighing, Sango tilted her head back to look up at the stormy sky for a moment before shaking her head and climbing to her feet with a huff. "Damn," she murmured.

Sango scrambled to her feet, ducking beneath the protective leaves of a tree despite being taught to not take shelter under trees during storms. The lightning would snap onto the tree and catch the wood at the top on fire. When Sango realized the storm wasn't going to stop, she gave a sigh, grasped the strap on her Hiraikotsu, and began to stalk forward, heading in a random direction with a sigh as she checked what she'd managed to gather this round.

Her poisons! she realized gleefully after a few minutes of walking, her hand going to dig one of them out of the hollowed shoulder plate of her taijiya armor. She grinned at it before putting it back, in a much better mood despite the rain that had drenched her. She sneezed, then sighed. A cold would honestly not be good if she was trying to defend the moron...

Then, she saw something. Narrowing her eyes to try and spot it through the rain, she sped up, grinning when she realized just what she was looking at. It was a hut, an old, abandoned, ragged hut, but shelter nonetheless. She jogged over to it, examining it warily. Huts such as this were homes to witches, black mikos, and even some species of youkai. But at the same time...why did she care? She could slay it in an instant. Ducking inside, she glanced around.

No water got inside, she noticed with relief, wringing her hair out. There wasn't a fire flickering, and it was chilly, so nobody was home, either. Content, the taijiya dropped her Hiraikotsu on the ground, setting to work on finding some dry wood that could be used for fire, along with something to start the fire with. One of those strange devices Kagome often used would have come in handy, Sango thought as she finally just drew her knees to her chest with a sigh.

Suddenly, the flap that hung in the doorway rustled, and someone stepped inside. Narrowing her eyes, Sango immediately reached for Hiraikotsu, ready to attack or defend herself, but discovered she had no need to.

Naturally, she thought sarcastically, it was Miroku. He looked just as startled to see her, his violet eyes wide as he stared at her with a stunned look. He was older this time, she decided, at least seventeen years of age. She had a feeling that she was coming to the end of her journey to protect him. "Can I help you?" he said warily, stepping inside fully. The shakujo staff was grasped tightly in his free hand she noticed.

"Just getting out of the rain," Sango replied quietly, returning to hugging her knees to her chest with a yawn. She was tired, she noticed, her eyes drooping suddenly, so very tired suddenly. The world was hazy around her for a moment, and immediately, she slapped her hands to her cheeks, forcing herself to wake up.

_No_. She would not give up this close to the end.

"I see. Found the same place I did then," Miroku commented, grinning charmingly. Sango scowled slightly. Just as usual, he was being a hentai. She had to tell herself not to attempt an Inuyasha-esque growl at the look on his face. It had been far too long since she'd been around a houshi that was old enough to harass her and not find it disgusting. He shifted something in the arm that didn't have a hold of his staff, and Sango recognized it as firewood. "Mind if I put something warm on the fire and maybe make something to eat?"

Sango shook her head, waving at him. "No, go ahead. Warmth sounds good right now." _Though it may make me want to sleep even more..._

"Great." Miroku beamed, dumping the wood in a firepit in the middle of the room. He hurried to light it, succeeding much more than she had, and then ducked outside for a brief moment. When he came inside again, he held a few pieces of raw meat in his hand. "I purchased this off a man who was desperate to get rid of it earlier today," he told her honestly. "I think he wanted to avoid the storm before it hit. Is this alright?"

"Perfect," Sango told him with a smile. "Go ahead," she repeated, watching quietly as the houshi went around preparing the meat to be cooked over the fire pit. He was much more polite now, she noted, even if he still was perverted man.

"There," Miroku said smugly after he'd gotten the fire roaring underneath the meat. "Done." His violet eyes flickered towards her and she arched an eyebrow, looking at him with a wary look. "...you're a taijiya, yes?"

"Yeah," she nodded, patting Hiraikotsu. His gaze examined the massive boomerang made of youkai bones, and she smirked, easily lifting it slightly off the ground. "Want to try and lift it? It's made of the bones of a few select youkai my father slayed."

She laughed softly when he shook his head. "I know better than to lift a weapon that has anything to do with the power of a youkai," Miroku said with a grin. "Made that mistake when a villager got himself involved with a demonic weapon. It was during the last season of snow. I was stupid and nearly got myself possessed. Luckily, the man who trained me to fight had a few tips on how to avoid that kind of thing and I used what he taught me."

Sango smirked. "One of the first things I was taught as a child was how to avoid such attempts. And that includes not touching demonic weapons you know nothing about."

The houshi gave a broad grin. "Realized that after that." He paused suddenly. "I apologize, my kind taijiya, I have offered to feed you but have yet to learn your name or give you my own. I am known as Miroku. What can I call you?"

"Sango," Sango answered with a slight snicker. It amused her for some reason; this was the latest of her recent introduction to the same person. And it was by far the most pleasant. She couldn't say, however, that she was looking forward to the next time that she was going to meet him. At this rate, he would be just like the Miroku she knew the next time she saw him...and she found herself eager to get through this memory for that reason.

"It is nice to meet you, lovely Sango-sama," he said kindly, checking on the meat he had put over the fire.

"What exactly did you purchase from that man?" she asked thoughtfully, studying the meat. She knew of men that had purchased the meat of youkai and sold it for a living.

"I believe it is the meat of an osuushi youkai," he answered. "It is supposedly tasty, though I will let you decide that for yourself, Sango-sama."

Sango surveyed the meat with a slight smile flickering across her face. Supposedly tasty indeed, she thought. On one of their more recent travels, Inuyasha had come across an osuushi youkai. He'd slaughtered it the second it had looked at Kagome with evil intentions, but after confirmation from Sango, they'd turned it into a fairly nice change of meal. They had all laughed when Shippo had slyly commented on how Momo would have felt about their meal. "I've had osuushi youkai," she told him with a bright smile. "It tastes delicious, Houshi-sama."

He didn't tell her to call him otherwise as he launched into some sort of tale she paid no attention to, and she felt her heart twist. At last she could call him what she always had without a single complaint coming from him. Quietly, she tuned in to his story, which ended up being about one of the many youkai he had encountered recently, and smiled to herself.

Suddenly, however, the houshi cut off and winced, clenching his hand. Narrowing her eyes, Sango studied him. The one with the pain he was trying to fut off was his right hand, the one that held the Kazanna. "Houshi-sama," she said softly. "Your Kazanna...did something happen to it?"

He looked utterly shocked. "You...you know I have one? A Kazanna?"

She stuck to her previous adventures' lie. "I...my fiancée was cursed with one similar to yours," she murmured, pursing her lips for a moment before continuing. "He used it too often and...he's gone now." Her gaze filled with sorrow. She was so close, she told herself, but it still hurt. "I know how such a curse works, Houshi-sama. Probably a bit more than you do. If you are willing...may I?" She held her hand out, ignoring the trembling that had suddenly begun.

"Err, sure, Sango-sama," he agreed. The teen lightly rested his gauntlet covered hand in hers and carefully, Sango slid the cover just slightly aside, ignoring the fearful tug of winds on her hair. He was tensed, seeming almost scared, but she ignored him in favor of staring at the palm of his hand in horror. "It was nicked by a neko youkai recently," he explained quietly. "I am too far away for my teacher to stitch it and it enlarged the Kazanna."

"I can stitch it," Sango said firmly, grateful to everything in existance that Kagome had insisted on teaching her. She'd even preformed such an action on _her_ Houshi-sama's Kazanna. "I've stitched up a Kazanna before."

"Good," Miroku breathed, giving her a look of grateful relief. "I'd rather _not_ shorten my life more than it already is."

Sango gave a choked laugh, tears threatening to gather in her eyes, but she hastily blinked them away and set to work on searching her armor for the materials Kagome had insisted she put in an empty piece. Ignoring Miroku's look as she shrugged off one arm of her kimono, she popped open her left elbow piece and picked up the needle and thread. "This will hurt," she apologized, "I don't think you have any saké on you at the moment...do you?"

He shook his head. "Carrying around such drinks isn't fun when you have nothing to carry it with." She smiled slightly, then placed his hand on her knee, the palm resting upwards.

When his fingers gave just a barely there twitch, she gave an impressive growl. "Touch anything on my body, houshi, and I kill you where you stand. Understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," he said weakly. The teen turned his gaze away as she readied everything as best as she could. When she set to work on stitching the small nicks closed, he hissed in pain, but said nothing. He merely gritted his teeth, clenched his jaw, and stared at the wall opposite of them with a white face.

"There," she said eventually with a very satisfied tone. She pulled back, examining her work and gazing apologetically at the pale faced man, who had sweat beading on his forehead. "I'm sorry, I know it hurts," she murmured.

"It's alright, suffered worse," he told her, violet eyes flashing with a faint amusement before he turned his gaze on the meat he'd set up to cook. Sango put her objects away, then closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Was this it for this round? she thought, grumpy almost. Seriously? All of that and no fight?

Sighing, she turned her attention back on the falsely smiling houshi as he removed the cooking meat for them to eat. No, she decided, narrowing her eyes as he examined it. There was no way this young man had finished his daily youkai slaying duties.

So, Sango settled down to wait.

* * *

Why, Sango thought desperately, did it always seem like she was stuck watching the flickering fire as Miroku slept peacefully nearby? She longed to join him in sleep, though she knew that doing so would be the end of his life. Quietly, she shook her head to herself, a soft and shaky sigh leaving her. Soon. Soon things would be normal again.

_Boom!_

Suddenly, the ground trembled, and Sango gasped as threw her arms over her head when pieces of timber fell from the ceiling. Miroku was awake in an instant, covering his own head as a roar filled the air. "Oh, dear," Miroku muttered sarcastically, looking groggy from sleep. She found a slight smile appearing on her face at the adorable mussed look of his hair. The teen was exhausted. "Looks as if my day's not over yet."

Sango grinned proudly. "Stay here, Houshi-sama," she told him, scooping her Hiraikotsu up. "I'll deal with this youkai. If you use your Kazanna now, it'll only make it worse and cause the hole in your hand to spread."

"I can't let you go alone, Sango-sama," he protested, but she waved him off with a sharp look as she retorted, "I'm older than you, have more experience with the extermination of youkai, and you'd only be a hindrance to me in your current injured state, boy. Don't get in my way."

Her words were harsh, but she knew they were necessary to make him stay out of the danger that had arisen. Giving him a final reassuring smirk, she stepped out into the outside world.

The rain had died down to a slight drizzle, she noticed, glancing up at the darkened skies. She frowned. Night wasn't a very good time to battle youkai. It worked in their advantage, as even the lesser youkai like oni could see better than she could. The rain would put her at a large disadvantage, too. Immediately, she let her gaze scan the skies and the trees around the wooden hut for the youkai.

It was hard to miss, even in the dark and rain. A massive glowing white shape rose high above her, a snarl on its face, and Sango felt her face pale. Even with her friends she wasn't eager to go across a fully grown kitsune in its true form. They were tricky, especially when it came to magic. Even at Shippo's age, they were a pain.

She hauled Hiraikotsu up, more grateful than ever that her weapon had been returned to her. The poisons would come in handy, too, she realized, eyes flashing triumphantly as she did so. There was a few specific poisons she were thinking of when the massive white fox made a lunge for her, four tails lashing out behind it.

Ah. So it was an older and more powerful one. Lovely. She hurled the boomerang in her hand, ignoring the roar that filled her ears when it struck the kitsune around the hip, making it stagger. She used its disorientation to grab a poison from its compartment, simply opening its container and blowing as hard as she could. Not only was this one easy to spread through the air no matter what the weather, but it was quickly working, too. She scrambled for her mask, then froze when she realized it was actually there. _Oh, thank goodness,_ she thought as she scrambled to put it on. That could have ended badly.

Snarling, the kitsune finally captured its balance just in time for her to catch Hiraikotsu again. "Damn," Sango swore softly when she realized she'd left barely a dent on its hip. But the poison was quickly taking effect. Even now, she could see something streaking its white fur at the corner of its mouth as it suddenly exploded in a furious circle of blue and green flames.

_Good job, Sango,_ she moaned to herself, _you succeeded in pissing it off..._

"Sango-sama?!"

Her brown eyes snapped wide and her hair swirled violently around her as she practically threw herself at the teen. "Get inside!" she spat past her mask, fumbling with the ties already to try and shove it on his face. He looked startled as she gasped, "I put-"

Suddenly, pain snapped through her. Her eyes went wide with shock as she staggered, immediately feeling the trickle of sticky warm liquid that began to leak from from where a clawed hand had suddenly ripped into her stomach. Her mind flickered back to a time, so long ago now, when she'd turned around to discover her brother, holding his kusargarmi as it dripped blood. This time, however, when she looked over her shoulder, it was to see a viciously smug kitsune, no longer in its true form. The youkai was a mere breath away, as it had reached around while her attention was diverted, and it ripped its bloody hand free.

"Sango-sama," Miroku gasped, darting forward to catch the taijiya when she crumpled forward. His violet eyes were wide with shock as she gaped at the wound for a moment before forcing herself away, staggering slightly as she did so. " Stay back, I'll deal with the youkai now- Sango-sama...?" Miroku repeated, looking unsure as the taijiya forced herself to weakly haul Hiraikotsu up and face the kitsune.

"No, I'll handle it," she managed to get out, shooting him a glare over her shoulder. "Stay back, Houshi-sama."

Her poison was working, she realized dully, swallowing back the urge to vomit as a coppery taste appeared in her face. The kitsune's fanged grin was tinged with red as it continued to drip from the corner of his mouth. What looked like tears of blood were beginning to form in the corners of his eyes as well, and its four tails twitched just barely behind it. "If I'm going down, taijiya," it slurred out, snarling at her. "Then you're joining me in Hell."

Was this supposed to happen? Was this going to be the last time she saved him, the last time she looked at the houshi? No, she couldn't possibly be done yet. Nonetheless, she forced herself to smile proudly at the kitsune. "I have fought against the hanyou Naraku, you bastard. I have fought side by side with the most powerful miko to ever exist. If anything, you will go to Hell and I will simply wander the lands between the worlds. They don't look too bad as long as you can get around."

The kitsune simply lunged forward, not looking the least bit bothered when her katana sliced a nasty gash into her cheek. Sango forced herself to step aside and avoid the kitsune, murmuring words under her breath to soothe herself when the pain rocketed through her, threatening to send her to her knees. She took the chance to remove her mask and throw it back at Miroku. "Put that on, Houshi-sama. There's poison in the air."

"Then you need it," he protested, taking a step forward...and catching the kitsune's attention.

"Ah," the kitsune purred, "the houshi I've been looking for. You have a Kazanna, yes? If I can absorb such a curse..."

Sango hefted her Hiraikotsu up and hurled it, nearly topping over as exhaustion swept through her, nearly knocking her off of her feet. "I think," she hissed, "It's better if you pay attention to _me_, youkai."

"Of course," the kitsune grinned, "I can kill you first, _then_ the houshi. I'm sure he'll make a delicious meal...oh!" His eyes, so close to the familiar golden fire of her inu-hanyou friend, suddenly snapped wide as his knees gave out. Blood dripped continuously from his lips and eyes now, and Sango shuddered at the sight. The poison wasn't a fun one to watch, but it was effective and did its job.

"Remember this, kitsune," Sango said coldly, moving to stand over him. She didn't seem bothered to fetch her Hiraikotsu as it crashed into the ground where she'd been standing moments before. With nobody there to capture it, it tumbled and fell to the ground with a clatter. "_Nobody_ touches the houshi I protect."

The kitsune gave a final growl, then dropped to the ground, dead where it stood. Silently, face emotionless, Sango watched as the flesh dissolved from its already melted bones. The poison was a rare kind, she knew, and was known for eating its victims from the inside out.

"S-Sango-sama, your wound..."

At the reminder, Sango cringed, giving a ragged gasp of pain as she wrapped an arm around her middle. "It's...I'll be find, Houshi-sama." She forced herself to smile faintly, reaching for the poison mask she'd handed him. He pressed it gently into her hands, ready to catch her if she fell, but Sango surprised him by taking a step back.

She'd done her bit for this version of him. Without her assistance, she realized, the Kazanna would have spread further, shortening his life by at least a span of ten years. And she was ready to move on, ready to get rid of the pain she felt now as blood dripped from between her fingertips.

Desperation flooded her when nothing happened and she remained where she was. Miroku, not seeming to understand what she was waiting for, stepped forward again. "Sango-sama," he said firmly, "You assisted me with my Kazanna. Let me help you-"

"No," she gasped, "I don't need it. I'll be okay..." Even now, black spots were swimming around her vision. Why wasn't this working?! Why wasn't she leaving to help another version of the houshi she adored, where she'd be without the pain that was racing through her?

"But-"

Suddenly, the world around her faded. Miroku vanished, along with the hut they'd taken shelter in and the kitsune she'd managed to slay. And just like that, there was a new world around her. She found herself standing on a commonly used path, the ground packed down beneath her feet. She staggered as the world swam before her, then crumpled, unable to remain standing for any longer as the pain continued to lance through her.

_Oh, right,_ she thought distantly, horror flooding her. The dried blood on her Hiraikotsu had come with her...why shouldn't a wound?

She pried her eyes open, fighting to stay awake, but was finding it nearly impossible as the pain took over. _Damn it all!_ She had to stay awake; she couldn't remember why, but she had to...

Suddenly, footsteps caught her attention. She took a deep breath, her eyes fluttering shut for a brief moment before a voice had them flying open again. "Oh, my- Ma'am? Are you alright?"

A face appeared in her shortened field of vision and shock filled her. It was Miroku alright, but not just any Miroku. It was _her_ Miroku.

Tears filling her eyes, Sango passed out.

* * *

**A/N**

**And... here's the next chapter. :P I hope you enjoyed! Next chapter will be the last and the one after that will be the epilogue, so. ;) A note: Osuushi means bull. XD**


	6. Chapter 5

. x .

_"The pain of parting is nothing to the joy of meeting again."_

_~Charles Dickens_

* * *

She could feel the gentle swaying of her body being carried as her mind came to. She weakly raised a hand to loosely grip at the cloth in front of her face, moaning quietly in pain, and a chuckle filled her ears. "Ah, you're awake."

Her eyes snapped open. That's right. She was with _her_ Miroku again! A hint of a smile fluttered across her face, but then she winced and gasped in pain. "So I am," she rasped, peering up from underneath her eyelashes at his concerned violet gaze. Her heart twisted at the realization that this Miroku may have looked the same, but didn't know her yet. Giving a shaky sigh, she whispered, "Who are you?"

"Miroku," he said with a grin. "And you appear to be a youkai taijiya, my lovely lady, though I don't know your name?"

"SANGO," SANGO answered, her lips quirking up in a smirk. She just _dared_ the hentai to grope her. But she knew he wouldn't, not when she was so seriously injured. "Where's my Hiraikotsu. My boomerang bone," she clarified at his confused look.

He patted a strap that went across his chest. "I grabbed it. I thought it might be yours." He carefully shifted her to make carrying his staff easier, gentle as he did so. Nonetheless, she hissed in pain, biting her lip hard enough to make it bleed. Miroku murmured an apology before saying thoughtfully, "How did you manage to get so far from the nearest village, SANGO-sama?"

"I, um, was HIRED to slay a youkai that had been causing problems along the road," she lied, "It should have been an easy job. Another youkai showed up, however, and though I managed to rid the world of them, they nearly did the same of me." Sango shoved her bangs from her face impatiently, sweat dappling her forehead, and then smiled faintly. "Thank you for helping me, Houshi-sama. Some would have left me."

"Ah, I was never one for abandoning a beautiful woman," he said with a grin that made her heart ache. It hurt to see him before they met for the first time. She had missed him and he didn't even know who she was! "How did such a skilled youkai taijiya end up on the receiving end with such a wound? Shouldn't you be delivering such blows with this heavy weapon of yours?"

Sango dropped her gaze to the ground, flushing slightly. "I was, err, distracted by someone. I had sent out some poison that was known for its effects on the victims and someone came out of the hut they'd been instructed to remain in until I gave the clear. They didn't listen to me and when I went to give them my mask..." She shrugged. "I was protecting someone and failed to come out of it alright myself."

"If you were protecting someone," Miroku mused, "Then what happened to that person, Sango-sama? Why would someone you saved leave you in such critical condition?"

Sango gave a forced smile. "They had no choice," she said simply, "I left. I saw no need in bothering them with my injuries. I managed to walk as far as here before I collapsed." Silently, she found herself becoming nervous. _What happened? I wasn't supposed to sleep... Is sleeping different then passing out? _Shaking her head, she finished, "Anyways, thank you for helping me, Houshi-sama."

"Of course," he said, beaming at her with a flash of his teeth. His violet eyes gleamed happily and SANGO felt her own soften at the sight. She was glad that this version was the last one she'd be dealing with. Curious to figure out where he was and how soon he would be meeting her for good, she tilted her head. "Houshi-sama, where were you journeying to before I interrupted?"

"There's a village nearby," Miroku said slowly, "I will be stopping by. I am interested in gathering the shards of the shattered Shikon no Tama. I'm sure you've heard about that matter, being a taijiya and all. But I've heard that a strange miko and a hanyou recently passed through, carrying a few."

SANGO had to fight the urge to burst into laughter then and there. So he was only a few days away from meeting their friends, hm? She smirked lightly, letting the smile LINGER on her lips. "A strange miko and a hanyou, hm? I see. I suppose you'll be chasing after them, then?"

He chuckled. "Yes. I hope to find them soon." He smirked, and she felt one of his hands clench slightly. She winced but said nothing. "If it was simply the miko, I would not question it. But the fact that she travels with a hanyou and dresses strangely..." He shook his head. "I do not think they should be holding the shards they supposedly have."

"Perhaps they're not what you think they are," SANGO murmured thoughtfully, "Just because a hanyou is involved, Houshi-sama, doesn't mean they are necessarily bad. A good friend of mine is a hanyou. I also happen to be friends with a kitsune and neko youkai."

He raised an eyebrow. "A youkai taijiya is friends with youkai and hanyou?"

She shrugged. "We all have our weird choices. I won't judge yours if you don't judge mine." _And you better not. You'll be friends with them, too, soon! _He merely grinned and shook his head before stopping suddenly, searching around him. "What are you doing, Houshi-sama?"

"I'm searching for a place that we can rest at," he told her firmly. "Your wound...it's bleeding rather heavily."

She glanced down, startled to see blood dripping from her already soaked clothing to the ground, slicking it and the houshi. "Oh," she breathed, eyes wide. "I apologize. I, um, don't want your clothes to be ruined or anything." She winced, wrapping an arm around her waist and gasping softly when he moved to set her down. "Okay. _Ow._"

"Are you alright, SANGO-sama?" Miroku studied her anxiously, looking honestly concerned for the taijiya, and she smiled reassuringly, patting his arm as she paused and closed her eyes to rest for just a brief moment. "Sango-sama?"

"Just Sango is fine," she told him, then added, "I'm fine, Houshi-sama."

"If I'm calling you Sango, then you may simply call me Miroku," the houshi answered firmly, then frowned and gently set her down, kneeling beside her after shrugging the Hiraikotsu off of his back. He waved at the injury. "May I, Sango? I don't have anything to bandage it with, but perhaps I can be of some assistance..."

Sango simply studied him from where she lay on the ground. "Go ahead," she said, waving at him to CONTINUE. Gently, he pulled her kimono open, and she smiled slightly when he made no hentai comment. He knew that this was neither the time or place to grope her. She knew this version of him. She _knew_ he wouldn't take advantage of her at this moment. He inspected the wound as best as he could around her taijiya outfit, and his face twisted into a mixture of digust and pity. Sango frowned. It must be a horrific wound then...

Noticing that she'd seen his expression, he murmured, "I apologize, Sango. It's just...this is horrible. Let me..." He set his shakujo staff aside and set to work on removing the violet part of his already bloodstained robes and pressed them against the injury. Sango hissed in pain, finding herself longing for the painkillers that Kagome often gave them when such things happened. "Sorry. I don't mean to cause you more pain..."

"It's fine," Sango said faintly. "I'll be fine." _How will I fight to protect him like this?!_ she thought desperately, her eyes flashing as he focused on trying to staunch the bleeding. _I can barely move by myself..._ "Thank you for assisting me, houshi."

"Don't thank me," he said firmly, "It is only natural that I would assist you when you are in such condition. A lovely lady such as yourself does not deserve such wounds...this will leave heavy scarring..."

"That's alright," Sango sighed, thinking of the nasty scar on her back, left there by her brother's weapon. She blew a piece of brown hair from her dark eyes, glancing at him to meet his violet gaze. "I am a youkai taijiya. It comes with the job. Trust me, this will be only one of the many scars I carry."

"A woman should not have to carry such scars," Miroku murmured, then said hastily when Sango scowled and gave him a darkened dangerous look. "I mean no offense, Sango! I simply mean it doesn't seem fair to one as beautiful as yourself..."

"I chose this life," Sango gritted out furiously. She took back any nice thought she'd had about him. The guy was still the idiot she knew him to be. She shifted, gasping in pain as she tried to make herself comfortable. There was no way she'd be able to protect him. There was just no way, she decided. She'd have to depend upon _him_. And she wasn't happy about that at all. Deciding to attempt to make conversation until they were on the move again, Sango let her gaze trail across him, landing on his right hand. He froze, as if knowing what she was going to ask. And she did despite already knowing what was wrong with it. "Miroku. Why do you wear...?"

He lightly clenched his right hand into a fist, giving a dry smile. "My family was cursed with a Kazanna. It began with my grandfather and went from him to my father to me. I am currently in the process of hunting a demon known as Naraku, the one who cursed us to begin with..."

"A Kazanna, eh?" Sango murmured, unable to help the small amount of amusement in her voice. He frowned, catching it, and she hummed thoughtfully, "I've heard of them before though have not seen of any before. They're mentioned in our training in my village. The taijiya know many things, and they are one of them." Not really. When hope flared across his face, she hurried to say, "I'm sorry, houshi, but we don't have any way to get rid of them. We merely know of them..." A thought struck her suddenly and she narrowed her eyes. If she couldn't _physically _defend him... "...and we know how to slow the effects of a Kazanna as well."

His eyes snapped over to hers. "What do you mean?"

"I know of a way," Sango said slowly, picking her words carefully, "That will keep you from being sucked up sooner than you have to be." She forced herself to smile faintly, reaching out to lightly grasp his hand tightly in hers. "Listen, Miroku. You can't...you have to stop using the Wind Tunnel so much. Please. Promise me you will only use it if you absolutely have to." She searched his surprised violet eyes with her own serious dark ones. "There will be people in the nearby future, Miroku, and they will need you far more than you think they will."

Miroku looked utterly confused as he checked her wound. "What do you mean I'll have people who will need me? I don't plan on traveling with others anytime soon. It's far too big a risk to them. The Kazanna could open at any point-"

"Try to stop using it anyways," Sango groaned, frustrated. Couldn't he promise her this much at least? If she could get him to agree, perhaps it would be over. Perhaps she could move on to where the dead went. She tightened her grip on his hand. "I'm serious. The more you use the Kazanna, Miroku, the more likely it is that you'll lose your life before you can defeat the youkai you seek. Naraku is a dangerous foe. You will need all of your strength to challenge him, trust me. I've battled him before, and even with the help of the most powerful people I know, it is nearly impossible."

He searched her gaze, violet eyes lost for a few moments. Then he finally sighed, rolling his eyes as he applied a gentle pressure to the wound on her stomach, glancing over his shoulder at the sound of footsteps. "Alright," he agreed at last, looking slightly wary. "I'll promise you. I won't use my Kazanna unless absolutely necessary, Sango. Now, why don't you rest? We'll camp here for the rest of the day and throughout the night, then set out again in the morning..."

"Don't bother," Sango murmured, forcing a smile to her face. She weakly touched her injury, hissing in pain as she did so. "There is no point in waiting for me to improve, houshi. It will only grow worse throughout the night. It would be best if you simply moved on before you grew too attached." And she knew it was true. Even now, she could feel the familiar feeling of the pain fading away. She was dying and she knew it.

"Nonsense," Miroku retorted, then waved a hand to greet an elderly looking man as he walked past. Even as he did so, Sango let her eyes flutter shut, exhaustion racing through her as she did so. The elderly man stopped as Miroku stood and hurried over to ask if he had any supplies they could use, but Sango simply smiled with an affectionate look on her face.

She'd gotten him to agree to not use it unless necessary. If that was all she could accomplish in this time, then it would be alright. Miroku would be safe. She had no reason to move on.

Slowly, the life began to leave the taijiya. And she didn't try and stop it as her breathing faded into silence and she knew nothing more.

* * *

She opened her eyes to the distant sounds of a forest, just as she had for the last few however long she'd been there. However many times she'd woken up. Exhausted, she was tempted to let her eyes flutter shut. The sun was filtering through the leaves, and the echoes of pain raced through her as she considered falling asleep at last. Passing out didn't count, but this tiredness...she was sleepy.

"Sango! Wake up, my girl! You are almost finished!"

Her eyes snapped open and she found herself jerking upwards and off the ground. A gasp left her lips and she was startled by a gentle hand resting atop her head. Once again, the woman was there, her carefully painted lips curved up in a lovely smile, her violet eyes amused. "You are safe. Soon, you will be able to return to the world you love. There is merely one more task to finish."

"You..." Sango murmured, then let her hand drift down to her stomach. To her surprise, there was no wound. She was perfectly healed without even a scar, as if that wound had never been delivered. Nevertheless, she clutched it, quivering. "I'm okay?"

"Unharmed and safe, yes," she answered with a brilliant smile. She offered a hand that Sango accepted and hauled her up to her feet. Sango was set off balance by the surprising weight of the Hiraikotsu, but managed to keep it as she threw her arms out to balance herself. The woman cocked her head. "There is someone here who will accompany you with your final task."

"What...?"

The woman smiled and stepped aside to reveal a small and familiar neko youkai purring mightily as she wiggled upon the ground, struggling not to leap at Sango just yet. Sango's jaw dropped. "_Kirara!_" she cried, throwing her arms out. Kirara leaped into them immediately, whimpering in relief as she rubbed her cheeks along the taijiya's. "Kirara," she whispered desperately, hugging her tightly, "What are you _doing_ here?"

"When you were sucked into the Kazanna," the woman explained, watching the reunion with a gentle smile, "She freed herself from the kitsune's grasp and followed you before I froze their world. I am glad; she will help you through the most difficult of these tasks."

Sango's dark gaze darted to her. "And what is this task you want me to accomplish? Will it save the houshi?"

"No," she laughed softly, "You've already done that. You did very well, more so than I thought." She smiled brightly at Sango, her eyes glowing with pride. "He will succeed to live long enough now for the final battle, my Sango. What you must accomplish now is saving _yourself_. If you can find your way out of these woods," she threw her arms around, "then you will find yourself back in your world. Perhaps not in the place you left it, and perhaps not with your friends again at first, but you will find yourself back home."

Sango's eyes widened. "But...what if I can't find my way out? What will happen then?"

"It's not so much what will happen if you don't find your way out," she admitted grudgingly, "As you work to find your way out, you will find yourself getting increasingly tired, my dear. And if you give in and sleep, here especially, you will perish." She gave a final smile, then waved at the two. "Now off with you! It is time for me to go to my peace at last. I have been here for quite some time."

Kirara transformed with a bright flare of fire, and Sango quickly swung herself onto the neko's back. But then she paused, glancing over her shoulder at the woman. "Um...can I ask you something?" The woman nodded. "Who are you? You're so willing to help me...to help Miroku...who are you to want such a thing?"

"Ah, I should have suspected you'd question me," the woman laughed. She simply smiled. "I am Lady Eriko," she said proudly, "Miroku's mother." And with that, she vanished, as if she'd never been there to begin with.

Eriko's words echoed in Sango's head as Kirara bounded above the trees of the forest, both of their eyes drooping as they fought to remain awake. The exhaustion had taken over both, just as Eriko had warned, and Sango found herself slumping against Kirara's broad shoulders, fighting the urge to sleep. "Kirara," she whispered, "Have you seen anything different?"

Kirara whined and shook her head, pausing midair to search around. Sango's head snapped right and left as she tried to find something different outside of trees. And then she saw it: a lake. "Kirara! There!" she gasped, twining her fingers in the neko's fur. Kirara launched forward with a roar, reaching it quickly and throwing herself down upon the ground with a hiss. Sango swung from her back, studying the gently waving waters. Even Sango was able to feel the power that radiated from the water. "This is it," she told the twintail.

Kirara mewed her agreement after transforming into her smaller form. She sniffed lightly at the waters, then sneezed, scrambling up onto her tired taijiya's shoulder. "How?" she murmured determinedly. "How do we get out through this?" She reached out, lightly dipping her fingers in, and was met by an icy cold feeling that snapped her awake. She dribbled some of the droplets over Kirara, who hissed, puffing her fur up in response. "Sorry, but we needed to wake up," she explained.

The twintail grudgingly mewed her agreement, then eyed the waters carefully.

Sango studied them as well, taking in the massive lake. "I wonder," she murmured, shifting Kirara from her shoulders to her arms and wading in. She winced at the sharp biting cold that touched her ankles, but continued forward. Kirara sighed in her exasperation, glaring at Sango with irritated red eyes as the water began to brush up against her. Sango stopped as something tugged at her ankles. A grin spread across her face.

She'd found the way out.

"It's like a little doorway underneath the water, Kirara," she told her bothered neko. Kirara merely huffed, clambering up on top of the taijiya's head. Reaching up to pat Kirara thoughtfully, Sango waded further in. She was up to her chin before she plucked Kirara off, kissed her nose, then sucked in a deep breath and dove under, her eyes searching the murky water below. Kirara transformed in a bright blast of red, and Sango shifted so that she was sitting on the neko's back. _There!_

A massive circle of swirling icy blue shone brightly from the bottom of the lake not too far away. Kirara automatically dove towards it, swimming strongly through the water with ease. Sango patted Kirara's fur urgently; she was running out of air.

Kirara roared silently, plunging forward. She sank up to her chest in the strange circle, and then glanced questioningly up at her mistress. Sango nodded and Kirara shoved her way through the remaining bits of the strange doorway.

And then, quite suddenly, they were falling. Sango couldn't help the scream of surprise that left her lips as she was suddenly hurled out of a strange opening in the brilliantly blue sky. Kirara roared, righting herself and rushing to catch her mistress and succeeding within seconds. Shakily, Sango clung to her fur as Kirara hovered in the sky. Both carefully took in where they were, exhaustion sweeping through them both.

And then Sango saw it.

There, not too far away and towering above everything else in the forest known as Inuyasha's Forest, was the Goshinboku tree that the hanyou had once been pinned to. She knew _exactly_ where they were. Tears of happy relief rolled down her face as Kirara darted forward, heading for the now clearly visible village.

They were home.

* * *

**A/N**

**The last chapter has been added. Next will be the epilogue, and then...done! As I've said, this is a short fanfiction. XD**


	7. Epilogue

**. x .**

_"The sweetest of all sounds is that of the voice of the woman we love."_

_~Jean de la Bruyere_

* * *

He couldn't believe it. At the same time that a dull and pained grief filled his entire being, he was filled with awe. As he walked, a few steps behind the stony hanyou and the sniffling miko and kitsune, he stared at his covered right palm. The Kazanna was still there, he knew. He could feel it. But it was no longer tugging as viciously as it had been for the past few days...

He closed his eyes, mourning overwhelming him. Sango...his lovely Sango...was gone alongside her neko youkai companion. Both had been dragged into the Kazanna, though Kirara had leaped into it herself. Never again would he see Sango as she smiled or laughed or even cried. On top of it all, he'd have to break the news to Kohaku. He would have to tell the taijiya boy that his sister was dead.

"M-Miroku-san?"

The houshi glanced up. Kagome was gazing at him through eyes rimmed by tear-spiked lashes, her lips parted as she breathed through her mouth. Inuyasha kept a gentle clawed hand on her shoulder, guiding her along the path without looking at anyone. Miroku forced himself to smile gently at the miko. "I'm alright," he reassured, though he knew he was anything but. "My Kazanna has mysteriously fixed itself. I am certain I will live for a while yet."

"I know," she murmured, "I just...I can tell Kohaku-kun if you want."

Inuyasha's grip tightened on her shoulder, and she frowned, flicking at his fingers when his claws dug in sharply. He didn't want her causing herself more grief, and Miroku was more than aware of that. "No," he said firmly, giving a shaky sigh. "I have to be the one to tell him, Kagome-sama." He pursed his lips as they broke free of the trees, heading for the village. "It's my fault."

"It's not your fault, Miroku," Shippo piped up, scrubbing at his eyes. "S'Naraku's."

The group fell into a silence that hurt all of their ears, each remembering the taijiya that no longer would walk beside them as they made their way into Kaede's Village. It was a happy day for the villagers, apparently. Each of them were chattering as the group passed, even waving a greeting to Inuyasha, who they were still semi-wary of.

None seemed to notice the cloud of grief that surrounded the hunters of the Shikon no Tama, or the lack of taijiya and neko youkai.

Miroku paused, glancing at his companions. "Perhaps it is best if I wait out here?" he suggested. "Send Kohaku out to me; I shall break the news of what has happened to him." He studied Kaede's hut as they stopped just outside of it, his violet eyes full of grief.

"Of course," Kagome murmured. She ducked inside after taking a deep breath, Inuyasha close behind her. Shippo remained where he was, refusing to remove himself from the miko's shoulder as he sought comfort in her presence. Suddenly, however, there was a surprised cry from inside followed by Inuyasha's low snarl. Concerned, Miroku ducked inside after them, frowning.

The sight that met his eyes would etch itself into his memories forever.

Sitting there, perched on her knees comfortably beside her brother was none other than Sango. Her silky brown hair was loose, no longer tied out of her face as she sipped thoughtfully at a cup of tea. Her brown eyes sparkled as she stroked Kirara's head with her free hand as she listened intently to what Kohaku was saying, though that had come to a complete stop when she looked up to see who'd shown up, a smile curving her lips up.

His staff fell from his hand, striking the ground with a loud crash. "...Sango?" he rasped.

The taijiya's dark gaze turned upon him and the lit up. In a flash, she'd shoved her tea at Kaede, who'd been sitting on her other side, and was throwing her arms around his neck in a warm greeting, tears sparkling in her eyes. "Miroku!" she gasped, burying her face in his shoulder.

But Inuyasha suddenly drug the taijiya away, earning a look of annoyance from her. His golden eyes flashing, he calmly rested a hand on his Tetsusaiga, and Kagome gave a small gasp. "Inuyasha!"

"We watched you get sucked into the Kazanna," Inuyasha growled, voice accusing. "You're dead."

"Nope," Sango corrected, crossing her arms. Miroku's smile vanished, seeing the sense in the hanyou's words though he wasn't happy with them. This could easily be a demon taking on Sango's appearance and hiding its youki and scent...though it was hard to match Kirara's current glare. "I'll tell you how I'm okay...but first..." She stepped around Inuyasha and back to Miroku, gently grasping the front of the shocked houshi's robes. Without hesitation, she rose up on her toes and lightly brushed her lips against his with a faint smile, giggling when he froze, hands fluttering uncertainly around her waist.

Kagome squealed excitedly, clasping her hands together while Kohaku and Shippo exchanged looks of disgust. Inuyasha looked away from Kaede's knowing look towards him, his cheeks flushing.

When Sango pulled back, Miroku stared at her with round eyes, taking in the evil glint in hers. "Now," Sango said with a bright grin. "Let me tell you what kind of _hell_ you put me through..."

* * *

**A/N**

**LOVE how the epilogue turned out. I hope you all enjoyed OOT and thank you so, so much for reading and reviewing. :)**


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